CONNECTED

CONNECTED Synopsis:
The film opens with a quote from Alexei Navalny, written from prison in December 2021:

"Meeting Dmitry Borisovich Zimin at various events, I constantly thought, what an incredible person. If I didn’t know he actually existed, I would have thought he was a fictional role model."
This documentary explores the extraordinary 30-year friendship between two remarkable individuals: 58-year-old Augie Fabela, an active U.S. police officer in Cook County, Illinois, and 88-year-old Dr. Dmitry Zimin, a former top-secret Soviet scientist who later became a startup founder and philanthropist. Navalny described Zimin as a "fictional role model" because his life seems almost too remarkable to be real.
On the eve of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the two protagoists embark on a final journey together before Zimin's scheduled euthanasia.
Their story begins in 1990, brought together by the efforts of Presidents Gorbachev and Reagan. The end of the Cold War led 25-year-old Augie to Moscow, where fate introduced him to Dim. Over the next decade, they lived the American dream: Augie, the son of Mexican immigrants, and Dim, the son of a Soviet-era “enemy of the people,” built a tech startup that made them millionaires.
The second major twist in their lives came in 2001, as Russia’s political landscape changed under Vladimir Putin. Zimin, with the keen insight shaped by his childhood under Stalin’s regime, foresaw the authoritarianism that would follow. In response, he left the business world, with Augie eventually following suit. Augie returned to Chicago, where his commitment to his community led him to become a Sheriff after training at the police academy.
As the documentary unfolds, we explore Dim’s evolution from a top-secret scientist to a prominent supporter of progressive science and civil society in Putin’s Russia. For over 12 years, he was the sole public financial donor of Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny, embodying his dedication to change in his homeland.
Against the backdrop of significant geopolitical shifts—from the end of the Cold War to the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine—their final journey together is filled with the sense of an impending catastrophe. Dim’s personal story serves as a bridge between the eras of Stalin and Putin, illustrating the necessity of war for authoritarian regimes. Through Augie’s perspective, the documentary examines the complex details of Russia’s historical trajectory, its cyclical aggression, and its inability to break free from its past.
Dim emerges as a prophetic figure, and his decision to end his life just before the Russian invasion of Ukraine underscores the tragic foresight he possessed. The war, combined with his years spent alongside Dim, compels Augie to take action, bringing him to Ukraine in the aftermath of the invasion.
The end of their story is filled with sadness: everything achieved during the brief period of friendship between two superpowers has been undone, and once again we face nuclear threats. Yet, the American protagonist emphasizes one exception—their personal connection, which will endure forever. Geopolitics, and even dictators, cannot break their bond.

Director's Statement:
"Connected" encapsulates my personal requiem for a dream—a reflection of the current state where life feels caught in a downward spiral. Over the past 2 years, I've lived through an epochal breakdown, observing Russia's resurgence into the aggressive and intimidating world politics reminiscent of the Soviet Union. This shift has palpably altered the lives of people worldwide, diverting resources from improving healthcare, advancing science to prioritizing security in EU, UK, and the US.
My film's characters, like me, have been witnesses and participants in significant historical changes for peace in ‘90s. Augie Fabela, an American, and Dmitry Zimin, a Soviet, joined forces, proving that peace and creation are a brilliant alternative to the Cold War. I was fortunate to know Dmitry personally, In the summer of 2021, during his exile, Dmitry invited me and, on a journey, revealing later his decision to leave life. The journey included Augie, his closest friend, who shared his experiences in Russia in an unpublished book. I realized that the story of them—a requiem for the dream of a better world. The narratives and experiences of my protagonists resonate sharply with the geopolitical shifts toward wars that we witness, making them relevant for different countries and continents.